Patient transfer mechanism for weighing scale



Nov. 5, 1963 w. s. MILLER ETAL 3,109,179

PATIENT TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR WEIGHING SCALE Filed Oct. 9, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I.

FIG.2.

lnvenf-qrzs: Warren .5. M// er Edward B. S OQQ Afforneys.

Nov. 5, 1963 w. s. MILLER ETAL 3,109,179

PATIENT TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR WEIGHING SCALE Filed Oct. 9. 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnven'torgs: Warren 5. Mlller' Edward B. fi'trogg by k e Attorneys.

YIIIIIIIIIllllllllllllllllllllllfl 963 w. s. MILLER ETAL 3,109,179

PATIENT TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR wmcnmc SCALE Filed Oct. 9, 1961 s Sheets-Sheet 5 lnvamor s: Warren S. Mlller' Edward B. 511* 1 g bywdu 4M Affarneys.

United States Patent M 3,109,179 PATEENT TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR WEIGHING SCALE Warren S. Miller, 878 Cronweii, Carnpheil, Caiifi, and Edward B. Strong, 78 3 Columbus, New York, N.Y. Filed Oct. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 143,938 7 Claims. (Cl. -31) The present invention relates to patient transfer mechanisms, and pertains more particularly to a patient transfer mechanism for mounting on the platform of a weighing scale for use in hospitals, sani-toriums, nursing homes, and other places where it is desirable to weigh a person whose ability to move about is restricted.

In the past, attempts have been made to employ various patient lift or transfer mechanisms for weighing, but such prior mechanisms were either expensive, difficult to use, or otherwise not fully satisfactory for their intended purpose.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a patient transfer mechanism which can be easily mounted on the weighing platform of an ordinary, small, platform type scale, and which when so mounted is capable of either receiving a prone bed patient without assistance from the patient, or for alternately receiving an ambulatory or semi'ambula-tory patient.

A further object of the invention is to provide a patient transfer mechanism having a base portion adapted to be mounted on the platform of a weighing scale, and comprising two hingedly mounted wing portions overlying an elevating central seat portion, the wing portions being adapted to be swung bet-ween horizontal and upright position on opposite sides of the central seat portion, and in their horizontal position provide a transfer table for receiving a prone bed patient, while in their upright position they provide arm and hand supports for a patient either seated on the seat portion, or standing on a base portion mounted on the platform of a platform type scale.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved patient transfer mechanism comprising a base portion adapted to be mounted on the weighing platform of a platform type weighing scale, with a telescopically extensibie, hydraulic lift column mounted on the base portion and having a seat portion on the upper end thereof, a pair of wing portions being adapted to be swung between horizontal and upright position, one on each side of the seat portion, so that in their upright position they provide either arm rests for a patient seated on the seat portion, or grasping supports for a patient standing on the base support, and in their horizontal position are coextensive and overlie the seat portion to provide a transfer table capable of receiving and supporting a prone patient transferred thereon from a hospital bed, guerney or operating table.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved and simplified patient transfer mechanism for a weighing scale.

These, and other objects and advantages of the invention, will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a rear end elevational view of an illustrative embodiment of the invention as it appears when mounted on a platform type weighing scale, the scale being shown in lighter lines, the hinged wing portions being shown in their upright position.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the wing members swung to their horizontal position, the transfer table thus formed being shown in lowered position in solid lines, and in elevated position in broken lines.

KG. 3 is an enlarged, perspective view of the structure of FIGS. 1 and 2, one of the hinged wing members being 3', l dii Yd Fatented Nov. 5, lgfi shown latched in its horizontal position, the other being shown in its upright position, portions being broken away.

FIGS. 41() are perspective views in reduced scale showing various procedural uses of the invention.

Briefly, an illustrated patient transfer mechanism A embodying the present invention comprises a base plate Ll of a size suitable for mounting on the platform 11 of a conventional platform scale B, and with a tubular support column 12 fixedly secured thereto. A conventional hydraulic jack mechanism C, which may be of a type commonly used as an automobile jack, is mounted in the support column 12, and is operatively connected to a seat member 13 having a tubular member 14 secured to depend therefrom. The tubular member 14 is mounted for guided, telescopic, sliding movement on the support column 12.

A pair of wing members 17 and 13 are hingedly mounted one on each lateral extremity of the seat member 13. The wing members 17 and 18 are adapted to be swung from upright position as shown in FIG. 1, in which posi tion their lower ends are laterally adjacent the scale base member 19, to co-extensive, horizontal position as shown in FIG. 2, in which latter position they are releasably retained by latch means 20.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, the base plate 19, like most of the other metal parts of the illustrated mechanism, preferably is of light weight metal such as, for example, aluminum or magnesium alloy, or thin section steel. The fixed support column 12v comprises a hollow, rectangular bottom portion 21, and a rectangular, tubular portion 22 having a rectangular flange 23 fitted thereon and fixedly secured thereto as by Welding.

The flange 23 is of a size to fit onto the top of the bottom portion 21. Four bolts 24 pass through openings provided therefor in the flange 23 and also through four registering holes in the base plate 16*, and are drawn down to secure these parts in their assembled positions illustrated in the drawings.

The hydraulic jack C is of a size to fit into the lower end of the column 12 and to rest on the base plate 10. As illustrated, the jack C is of the type wherein back and forth oscillative stroking movement ofa tubular metal handle 27 between the positions thereof shown in FIGS. 3 and 7 will pump liquid into a usual hydraulic cylinder (not shown) of the jack to thereby elevate it. The jack C is operatively connected by a thrust rod 26 to the seat member 13.

A grip member 28 is rotatively mounted on the upper end of the jack handle 27, and is operatively connected by a torque cable 29 (PEG. 3) to a usual bleed port control valve, not shown, communicating with the usual jack cylinder. By twisting the grip member 248 in one direction such port is closed for elevating the jack upon pump ing actuation of the jack handle 27, and by twisting the ip member 23 in the opposite direction such port is opened to control the escape of hydraulic liquid from the jack cylinder and thereby lower the jack.

The seat member 13 is provided with an integral, rectangular socket 32 centrally of its under side to receive therein the downwardly extending, tubular member 14. The latter is of a size to receive the upper tubular portion 22 of the support column 12 for free, telescopic movement therein. The depending tubular member 14 is secured in its seat socket 32 by pins 33 (FIG. 3) which are fitted into registering holes in the seat socket 32 and the tubular member 14.

The seat member 13 may be a metal casting, with a flat upper surface 34 which provides a seat for a patient D FIG. 9) when the wings=17 and 18 are in their upright positions of FIGS. 1, 4 and 9. The seat member v13 has integral, downwardly extending side flanges 35 which add rigidity and strength to this seat member, and also has a transverse extension 37 on each end thereof. The wing members l7 and 18 are connected by hinges 33, one to each seat end extension 37, and are so mounted that when their under surfaces are in contact with the fiat upper surface 34 of the seat member 13, the wing members 17 and 18 are horizontal and co-extensive as shown in FIGS. 2, 6, 7 and 8.

The latch means 26 for latching the wing members in such horizontal, co-extensive condition comprises a latch member 39 secured to the under side of each of the wing members 17 and 18. Each latch member 39 has a hole it) transversely therethrough for axial alignment with a latch plunger '41, which is mounted for axial, slidable movement in a pair of axially aligned holes provided therefor in the seat flanges 35.

Each latch plunger 41 is encircled by a pair of coil compression springs 42 and 43, which are held in compression between retaining collars 44 and 45, respectively (FIG. 3), secured to their associated latch plungers and opposite side flanges 35 of the seat member 13.

Each opposed pair of latch springs 42 and 43 normally urge their respective latch plungers toward centered, latch engaging condition in the hole 4%) provided in each of the latch members 39 when aligned therewith as shown at the left in FIG. 3. The latch plungers 41 may be withdrawn from their latch members 39 by grasping a pull knob 46 thereon, thereby to free their respective wings 17 or 18 for tilting to upright position as shown in FIGS. -1, 4 and 9, and at the right in FIG. 3. A cam face 45 is provided on each latch member 39 to force its associated latch plunger 41 laterally clear thereof when swinging the wings l7 and d8 to their horizontal position.

In using the illustrated embodiment A of the invention it preferably is mounted on the weighing platform 11 of a conventional platform scale B, and is secured thereto by countersunk head screws 48 which pass through holes (FIG. 3) provided therefor, one in each corner of the base plate 10, and are screwed into threaded holes also provided therefor, one in each corner of the scale platform 1 1.

Assuming first that it is desired to weigh a prone bed patient D (FIG. 6) the scale B with the transfer mechanism A mounted thereon is wheeled into position alongside the patients bed E. The wings 17 and 1-8 are swung upwardly and latched in their horizontal, coextensive position for this purpose, and the jack handle 27 and grip member 28 thereon are manipulated as required to bring the aligned wing members 17 and 18 to a height to just clear the bottom sheet F upon which the patient D is lying.

The patient is turned away from the wing members 17 and 18 onto his side, and the entire apparatus, including the transfer mechanism A and scale B, is then moved toward the bed 13 to bring the horizontal wing members 17 and .18 over the bed and closely adjacent the patient D. The latter is rolled onto his back, and thereby onto the wing members 17 and 18, and the latter are raised clear of the bed by a pumping operation of the jack handle 17 as shown in FIG. 7 and as described previously herein.

The scale B with the transfer mechanism A and patient D supported thereon is then moved outwardly away from the bed sutliciently to insure that the transfer mechanism A is clear of the bed E, and the scale B is then used to weigh the patient in a conventional manner. The patient then may be returned to his bed by a reversal of the foregoing procedure.

Where a patient D" ('FIG. 9) is to be weighed while seated, the wing members :17 and 1 8 are released, if in their horizontal position, by withdrawing the spring urged latch plungers 4 1 from their respective latch members 39, and are swung to their upright position as shown in FIGS. 4 and 9. A satisfactory manner of manipulating these wing members is illustrated in F-IG. 5. With the wing em ers 7 a d 13 in. their upright position, the entire 'llustrated assembly including the patient lift A and the scale B is wheeled into a convenient position as shown in FIG. 4. The patient is then seated on the seat member 13 as shown in FIG. 9, and the scale is then used to weigh the patient in a conventional manner.

For weighing a patient while standing (D, FIG. 10) such operation will be obvious to one having perused the preceding description and viewed the accompanying drawmgs.

The invention provides a simple, rugged, rigid and easily manipulated patient transfer mechanism for use with a platform type weighing scale. The invention is safe for almost any type of patient, and permits easy weighing and transfer without injury of any patient, from a completely helpless bed patient to one who is fully ambulatory.

While we have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood, however, that various changes and modifications may be made in the details thereof without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. A patient transfer mechanism comprising a base portion for mounting on the platform of a weighing scale, an extensible upright support mounted on the base portion, power means for vertically extending and retracting the support, a seat portion of a width to accommodate a person seated thereon mounted at seat height on the support, a pair of elongated wing members hingedly mounted one at each lateral extremity of the seat portion each wing member being swingable on its hinged mounting from upright position along each side of the seat portion, to coextensive, horizontal position extending transversely across the seat portion into endwise juxtaposed relation, and means for releasably latching the wing members in their horizontal, endwise adjacent co-extensive position, the Wing members being of a combined length to support a patient lying in prone position thereon when in their horizontal, co-extensive position. i

2. A patient transfer mechanism comprising a base portion for mounting on the platform of a weighing scale, an extensible upright support mounted on the base portion, power means for vertically extending and retracting the support, a seat portion of a width to accommodate a person seated thereon mounted at seat height on the support and extending laterally therefrom, a pair of elongated wing members hingedly mounted one at each lateral extremity of the seat portion each wing member being swingable on its hinged mounting from upright position along each side of the seat portion, to co-extensive, horizontal position extending transversely across the seat portion into endwise juxtaposed relation, the combined length of the two wing members being sufiicient to support a patient lying prone thereon, the wing members extending laterally beyond the seat portion to overlie a bed to receive a prone patient therefrom, and means for releasably latching the wing members in their horizontal, endwise co-extensive position.

3. A patient transfer mechanism comprising a base por tion for mounting on the platform of a weighing scale, an upright support column fixedly secured to the base portion, a seat support member mounted in telescopic sliding relation on the support column, a seat mounted on the upper end of the seat support member, a hydraulic jack mounted in the support column and operatively connected to the seat support member for vertically extending and retracting the latter and the seat mounted thereon, a pair of elongated wing members hingedly mounted one at each lateral extremity of the seat and swingable from upright position, one along each side of, and laterally clear of the seat portion, to co -extensive, horizontal position transversely across the seat portion, and means for releasably latching the wing members in their horizontal, endwise co-extensive position, the wing members being of a combined length to support a patient lying in prone position thereon when in their horizontal, co-extensive position.

4. A patient transfer mechanism comprising a flat base portion of a size and shape for mounting on the platform of a weighing scale and substantially co-extensive therewith, an extensible upright support mounted on one side of the base portion, means for vertically extending and retracting the support, a seat portion on the upper end of the support and of a width and depth to accommodate a person seated thereon with his feet resting on the base portion, a pair of elongated, flat, wing members hingedly mounted one at each lateral extremity of the seat portion for swinging movement from upright position, one along each side of the seat portion, to co-extensive, horizontal position extending transversely across the seat portion, the axis of hinged mounting of each Wing member being spaced downwardly from its upper end when in upright position by a distance equal to approximately one half the width of the seat portion, whereby, when the wing members are swung to horizontal position the ends thereof which are uppermost in their upright position, are swung into endwise, juxtaposed relation, thereby to form a table for supporting a prone patient transferred thereto from a hospital bed or guerney, the wing members being of a combined length to support such prone patient thereon, and means for releasably securing the wing members in their latter position.

5. A patient transfer mechanism for mounting on the platform of a platform type weighing scale, and comprising a fiat base plate adapted to be mounted on the Weighing platform of a platform type Weighing scale, a telescopically extensible column mounted on the base plate and adjacent one edge thereof, power means for telescopically extending and retracting the column, a seat portion on the upper end of the column for extension and retraction therewith, a pair of flatyboard-like wing portions hingedly mounted one on each lateral extremity of the seat portion and swingable from upright position laterally alongside and clear of the seat portion to horizontal position, the hinged connection of each wing portion to the seat portion being offset downwardly from the upper end of each wing portion, when in its upright position, a distance equal to substantially one-half the width of the seat portion, thereby providing retaining arms, one on each side of the seat, and whereby, when the wing portions are swung to their horizontal positions they will extend across the seat portion and their inner ends will be substantially abutting, and the wing portions will then be co-extensive to form a table-like support for a prone patient thereon,

the wing members being of a combined length to support such prone patient, and strong, releasable latch means for latching the wing members in their horizontal, co -extensive position.

6. An arrangement according to claim 5 wherein the Wing members are offset forwardly from the column and from the seat, so that in their horizontal position they may be elevated by extension of the power means and moved into overlying relation with a mattress on a bed.

7. A patient transfer mechanism for mounting on the platform of a platform type weighing scale, and comprising a flat base plate adapted to be mounted on the weighing platform of a platform type weighing scale, a telescopically extensible, tubular column mounted on the base plate and adjacent one edge thereof, a hydraulic jack mounted within the column and operatively connected to the upper portion of the column for telescopically extending and retracting the column, a seat portion on the upper end of the column for extension and retraction therewith, a jack actuating handle extending exteriorly of the column, a pair of fiat, board-like wing portions hingedly mounted one on each lateral extremity of the seat portion and swingable from upright position laterally alongside the seat portion, to horizontal position, the hinged connection of each wing portion to the seat portion being ofiset downwardly from the upper end of each wing por tion, when in its upright position, a distance equal to substantially one-half the width of the seat portion, whereby, when the wing portions are in their upright position the upper portions thereof above the hinges extend upwardly above the seat to provide arm portions for retaining and supporting a patient seated on the seat portion, and when the wing portions are swung to their horizontal positions their inner ends will extend across and overlie the seat portion and will be substantially abutting thereby to form a table-like support for a prone patient thereon, the wing members being of a combined length to support such prone patient thereon, and strong, releasable latch means for latching the wing members in their horizontal, coextensive position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,269,354 Williams June 11, 1918 1,347,549 Mote July 27, 1920 1,580,692 Skolnik Apr. 13, 1926 1,976,100 Spriggs et al. Oct. 9, 1934- 3,032,131 Schmerl May 1, 1962 

1. A PATIENT TRANSFER MECHANISM COMPRISING A BASE PORTION FOR MOUNTING ON THE PLATFORM OF A WEIGHING SCALE, AN EXTENSIBLE UPRIGHT SUPPORT MOUNTED ON THE BASE PORTION, POWER MEANS FOR VERTICALLY EXTENDING AND RETRACTING THE SUPPORT, A SEAT PORTION OF A WIDTH TO ACCOMMODATE A PERSON SEATED THEREON MOUNTED AT SEAT HEIGHT ON THE SUPPORT, A PAIR OF ELONGATED WING MEMBERS HINGEDLY MOUNTED ONE AT EACH LATERAL EXTREMITY OF THE SEAT PORTION EACH WING MEMBER BEING SWINGABLE ON ITS HINGED MOUNTING FROM UPRIGHT POSITION ALONG EACH SIDE OF THE SEAT PORTION, TO COEXTENSIVE, HORIZONTAL POSITION EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY ACROSS THE SEAT PORTION INTO ENDWISE JUXTAPOSED RELATION, AND MEANS FOR RELEASABLY LATCHING THE WING MEMBERS IN THEIR HORIZONTAL, ENDWISE ADJACENT CO-EXTENSIVE POSITION, THE WING MEMBERS BEING OF A COMBINED LENGTH TO SUPPORT A PATIENT LYING IN PRONE POSITION THEREON WHEN IN THEIR HORIZONTAL, CO-EXTENSIVE POSITION. 